Orange Police deploy Taser on suspect evading arrest

OPD Officer Robert Campbell was dispatched to the Shell Station located at 7411 Interstate 10 East in Orange at approximately 8:35 a.m. regarding a disturbance. Upon arrival at the scene, Campbell reported the clerk at the station told him a man assaulted another man in the parking lot. She told police that the victim left but the assailant refused to leave the parking lot. She directed Campbell to a man standing on the north side of the property.

The officer reported he recognized the man as 27-year-old Raul Ivan Reyes who Campbell previously escorted from the Sleep Inn Hotel after a physical disturbance. According to the report, Reyes was involved in an altercation with coworkers staying at the hotel and had been terminated from his job.

When Campbell approached Reyes at the Shell, he stated Reyes acted aggressively toward him, telling the officer to get away from him. Campbell asked him about the fight at the gas station, and Reyes told him it was not his business. Campbell reported he advised Reyes to sit down on the curb and called for backup. Reyes refused to comply; then turned toward the officer and "bladed himself," taking a "fighting stance," according to the report. Campbell advised Reyes to turn around so he could be handcuffed, at which point Reyes told the officer he was leaving. He then picked up his things and tried to walk away. Campbell told Reyes to stop and Reyes refused. The officer reached out and grabbed Reyes' arm. Reyes pulled away and continued to walk south toward the service road. Campbell reported he again instructed the suspect to stop, which was ignored. He then drew his police Taser and told Reyes he was being tased. Campbell reported he called out, "Taser, Taser, Taser," and then deployed one five-second cycle to disable the suspect. At that point, the officer stated he was able to handcuff Reyes.

Reyes was arrested for evading detention and transported to the Orange County Jail. The assault victim was not located. Because Reyes had two previous convictions for evading arrest, the charge was enhanced to a State Jail Felony.